North Wales IOSH meeting Oriel Hotel St Asaph Ritchie OConnell - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Protecting people, property and the environment

North Wales IOSH meeting Oriel Hotel St Asaph

Ritchie O’Connell Ba(Hons) BSc(Hons) BSc( Hons) MSc MIFire E

Discussion Topics

• How sprinklers work
• Sprinkler myths
• Sprinkler legislation in Wales
• 9251 versus 12845
• Sprinkler reliability and effectiveness
• Third party accreditation

How Sprinklers work

The sprinkler head

• The threaded end of the head is

screwed into the water pipe

• The sprinkler head orifice is sealed

with a plug, which is held in place by the liquid filled glass bulb

• The bulb contains a small air

bubble to allow for normal liquid expansion

• If a fire occurs the liquid in the bulb

expands, at a predetermined temperature the bulb breaks and the plug is forced out by the water

• The water hits the deflector plate

and deflects to create suitable spray pattern

Myth

• Every time I burn the toast

my sprinklers will ‘go off’ Fact

• Sprinklers are heat actuated

they will only operate when the actuation temperature is reached e.g. domestic systems 680

Sprinkler Myths

Myth:

• When there is a fire all the

sprinkler heads go off at once. Fact

• Each head is independent and
• nly the head(s) adjacent to the

fire go off.

• US experience shows than 98%
• f all fires in sprinklered

dwellings are extinguished with

• nly one sprinkler head
• perating.

Myth

• The sprinklers will leak causing water

damage Fact You are far less likely to suffer water leaks from the sprinkler system than

• ther plumbing
• Accidental discharge of water

from all causes is 1 in 500,000 (per year of service) Source: LPC

• Accidental discharge of water

due to manufacturing defects is 1 in 14,000,000 (per year of service) Source: FM (USA) and LPC

Myth

• Sprinklers cause Legionella

Fact

• There is no recorded case
• f legionella caused by a

sprinkler system

• Water droplet size is too

large 5mm as compared to 5µm

Myth

• The fire service don’t like

sprinklers because when they go in the floor is wet and slippery Fact

• A Typical sprinkler discharges

55 litres per minute. A firefighting hose discharges

• ver 600 litres per minute.

• The Measure requires the provision of

automatic fire suppression systems (such as a fire sprinkler system) compulsory in all new and converted residences and enables Welsh Ministers to introduce regulations setting out the requirements for such systems.

The Domestic Fire Safety (Wales) Measure 2011

From 30 April 2014

• Care homes( As defined in the Care Standards Act 2000)
• Children’s Homes
• Hospices
• Student accommodation
• Boarding Houses
• Hostels (other than those used for short stay leisure

accommodation)

Introducing the measure

Introducing the measure

From 1 January 2016 All new houses and flats, including:

• Registered group homes
• Adult placements
• sheltered housing

Where Regulation 37(a) applies

Domestic Fire Safety (Wales) Regulations 2013 Introduced the intent of the Measure into the Building Regulations New part 7A Provision of Automatic Fire Suppression systems which applies to Wales only Comprises new Regulations 37(a) & (b)

37A

Part 7A Provision of Automatic Fire Suppression systems 37 A - (1) this regulation applies where building work consists of the erection or material change in use

• f a building in relation to-

(a) care homes as defined in section 3 of the Care Standards Act 2000 (b) rooms for residential purposes other than rooms in-

(i) a hostel; (ii) An hotel; (iii) A prison or young offender institution; and (iv) A hospital

(c) Dwelling houses and flats

37A

(2) For the purposes of this regulation a material change of use comprises or includes a change of use within regulation 5 (a), (b), (c), (d), (g), (h) or (i).

Material change of use

Meaning of material change of use

• 5. …where there is a change in the purposes for

which or the circumstances in which a building is used, so that after that change—

– (a) the building is used as a dwelling, where previously it was not; – (b) the building contains a flat, where previously it did not; – (c) the building is used as an hotel or a boarding house, where previously it was not;

Material change of use

(d) the building is used as an institution, where previously it was not; (g) the building, which contains at least one dwelling, contains a greater or lesser number of dwellings than it did previously; (h) the building contains a room for residential purposes, where previously it did not; (i) the building, which contains at least one room for residential purposes, contains a greater or lesser number of such rooms than it did previously

37A

• (3) A building to which this regulation

applies must be provided with an automatic fire suppression system which is installed and operates in accordance with the requirements set in regulation 37B.

37A

4) This regulation does not apply to

– (a) Section1 Listed Buildings – (b) in a designated conservation area – (c) Ancient monuments Where installation of a fire suppression system would unacceptably alter their character or appearance.

37(a)

• (5) This regulation does not apply to

temporary buildings with a planned time

• f use of two years or less.

What does it mean?

If you build a new dwelling or residence where none previously existed If you create a new residence by material change of use If you create a new residence by knocking

• ne or more existing residences into a

greater or fewer number of residences

Sprinklers will be required

What does it mean? Regulation 37A brings in a mandatory requirement for automatic fire suppression systems in all new premises

• f Purpose Groups 1a, 1b, 1c, 2a and 2b

constructed in Wales with the exception

• f hospitals, hotels, prisons, and short

stay hostels used for leisure purposes.

What does it mean? The new Regulations will not apply to

• Hospitals
• Hotels
• Schools
• Prisons

Does automatic water suppression mean sprinklers?

Welsh SI no 2730 The Building Regulations &c. (

amendment no.3) and Domestic Fire Safety Wales) Regulations 2013

– For the purposes of regulation 37A(3) the requirements …are the requirements set out in any document approved and issued under section 6 of the Building Act 1984 for the purpose of providing practical guidance as to the requirements of 37A – Translation ADB Vols 1 and 2 (Wales)

ADB Vol 1 (Wales)

Calls up two standards only

– BS 9251 :2014 – BS9252 :2011

Equivalent technical standards also allowed Where an alternative technical standard (to BS 9251 or BS 9252) is used the guidance of Section 2.5 and Appendix A should be followed.

Automatic water suppression systems

2.5 There are many alternative or innovative fire suppression systems available. Where these are used it is necessary to ensure that such systems have been designed and tested for use in domestic buildings and are fit for their intended purpose. – Water Mist BS 8458-2015 – Other national standards/ codes e.g. NFPA 13R 13D – Where an automatic fire suppression system is provided, it is normal practice to provide protection throughout the building to cover all areas required by the relevant technical standard.

ADB Vol 2 (Wales)

For dwellings and residential buildings, BS 9251: 2005 Sprinkler systems for residential and domestic occupancies - Code of practice. For non-residential buildings or dwellings and residential buildings

• utside the scope of the relevant technical standard, the

requirements of BS EN 12845:2009, including the relevant hazard classification

BS EN 12845

Wet type sprinkler systems permanently charged with water used in heated buildings, where there is no possibility of the water freezing. Dry pipe installations are appropriate for applications where there is a danger of freezing. The pipes are charged with air under sufficient pressure to prevent the entry of water into the delivery

• pipework. Once a sprinkler head operates the compressed air

escapes through the head and water flows. Alternate wet and dry systems can operate as either type and the normal configuration is of protecting with a wet-pipe installation in the summer and a dry-pipe installation in winter.

12845 continued

Tail end alternate or tail end dry-pipe systems are wet-pipe installations in which a part of the system, the tail end (for example, where it is liable to freeze), is dry or alternate wet and dry. They are commonly used in loading bays and under canopies. A pre-action sprinkler system is a dry-pipe system linked to an automatic fire detection Operation starts when a heat or smoke detector in the detection system activates, (which will usually happen quicker than a sprinkler head). At this point a ‘pre-action’ valve opens to allow water to flow into the sprinkler pipework before the first sprinkler head operates. Discharge of water will not occur until a sprinkler head operates. Often used in water sensitive areas such as electrical equipment rooms and computer suites.

• Analysis completed April 2017
• Foreword by CFOA and NFSN
• 65 pages including graphs and

explanations

• Sub division of certain premise

types into separate sections

• Summary page highlighting

relevant facts

The effectiveness and reliability of sprinklers has been assessed with regard to two key criteria:

1: Performance effectiveness When sprinklers operate how effective are they in extinguishing or controlling fires and thus preventing damage? 2: Operational reliability How reliable are sprinklers in coming into operation when a fire breaks out?

Performance effectiveness Across all building types, the performance effectiveness sprinkler systems was assessed as 99% in situations where sprinklers could have been expected to have

• perated

Operational reliability The research indicates that the operational reliability of the systems was 94% across all building types where sprinklers could have been expected to have operated

Woodbridge, Suffolk 16th September 2015

• Housing scheme in Woodbridge, Suffolk: 26 Flats in

converted workhouse

• Vulnerable occupant suffered epileptic seizure
• Smoking materials ignited bed
• One sprinkler head actuated due to heat from fire,
• perating alarm and extinguishing fire
• FRS attended...no fire-fighting action
• Staff able to safely evacuated occupant

Conclusions

• In brief, this extensive data analysis shows

that sprinklers are highly reliable and

• effective. They work as intended in 94% of

cases and control or extinguish fires in 99% of cases over a range of building types

Third party accreditation, do we need it?

• Petition by BAFSA installer member to Welsh

Government

• “… the Welsh Government to amend paragraph 2.6 of

Approved Document B in such a way as to make it mandatory that the design, installation and maintenance of residential and domestic fire suppression systems is conducted only by those that are members of appropriate third party certification

• schemes. This will ensure that such life saving systems are

correctly designed, installed and maintained by suitably qualified personnel. Sadly this is currently not the case.”

ADB Vol 2 ( Wales)

“… It is essential that automatic fire suppression systems are properly designed, installed and

• maintained. Where an automatic fire

suppression system is installed, an installation and commissioning certificate should be

• provided. Third party certification schemes for

fire protection products and related services are an effective means of providing the fullest possible assurances, offering a level of quality, reliability and safety.”

AD7 (Wales)

• Past experience, such as use in an

existing building, may show that workmanship is appropriate for the function for which it is intended.

Third party accreditation

LPS 1048 (commercial & industrial systems) LPS 1301 (residential & domestic systems) FIRAS (mainly residential & domestic systems) NB Watermist scheme! IFC Certification Ltd

Certificate of Conformity

Summary

• Wales won the Grand Slam
• How sprinklers work
• Sprinkler myths
• Sprinkler legislation in Wales
• 9251 versus 12845
• Sprinkler reliability and effectiveness
• Third party accreditation

Protecting people, property and the environment

Any Questions?

Ritchie O’Connell Ba(Hons) BSc(Hons) BSc( Hons) MSc MIFire E